April 18, 2024
MICHAEL CANDELORI/for PhillyVoice
In Pennsylvania's Democratic primary election on April 23, the state attorney general race will have five contenders.
Tuesday's primary election in Pennsylvania will give Democratic voters the chance to make their pick for state attorney general. Five candidates are vying for the nomination to appear on the ballot in November's general election.
The attorney general plays a crucial role in statewide investigations and oversees legal cases across a wide array of issues including consumer protection, health care and civil rights.
The role of the state's top prosecutor has previously been a springboard for higher political ambitions. Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) and former Gov. Tom Corbett (R) each served two terms as attorney general before becoming governor. Attorney General Michelle Henry took over for Shapiro, who nominated her for Senate approval after he won the gubernatorial election in 2022.
This year's election carries added significance for Philadelphia, where a new state law aims to empower a special prosecutor to oversee crimes that involve SEPTA facilities. Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner filed a lawsuit to block the initiative, arguing it would usurp his office. Henry, who isn't running for election, has yet to appoint a special prosecutor. The election raises questions about how her eventual successor will approach the issue and the broader relationship with Krasner, who was the subject of a failed impeachment bid by Republican lawmakers.
The Republican primary for attorney general will be a contest between York County District Attorney Dave Sunday and state Rep. Craig Williams. Below are the Democratic candidates running for attorney general in the April 23 primary.
DePasquale has a long track record in Harrisburg, formerly serving as Pennsylvania's auditor general in addition to three terms as a state representative in York County. He ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 2020 and has since been an adjunct professor at the University of Pittsburgh and the Widener University Commonwealth Law School.
As auditor general, DePasquale investigated the state's unresponsive child abuse hotline and its backlog of untested rape kits that held up cases involving sexual violence. He also advocated for the state to legalize recreational marijuana in order to drive revenue, a step Pennsylvania still hasn't taken despite similar action from most of its surrounding states.
Democrats in Pennsylvania haven't made an endorsement of any of the attorney general candidates, but DePasquale is viewed as a party favorite heading into the primary. His campaign has emphasized protecting abortion rights, solidifying LGBTQ rights, advancing state environmental goals and ensuring election integrity.
Bradford-Grey is a former public defender in Philadelphia and currently an attorney at Montgomery McCracken Walker & Rhoads LLP. She was recruited by Shapiro to be the county's top public defender while he was attorney general and went on to advocate for criminal justice reform, including her opposition to cash bail for pretrial detention.
Bradford-Grey's campaign platform has focused on economic justice for Pennsylvania residents and stronger regulation of firearms distributors as a way to reduce gun violence.
If she's elected, Bradford-Grey would become the state's first Black attorney general and the first to enter the office with a background mostly as a public defender.
Solomon is a state representative serving communities in Northeast Philadelphia. He's the chair of the House's Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee. He also serves as a judge advocate general officer in the Pennsylvania National Guard.
As a legislator, Solomon has been outspoken in favor of reforms like open primary elections, term limits and recall elections under certain circumstances. He was vocal about giving voters the chance to recall former City Councilmember Bobby Henon after he had been charged with bribery, fraud and conspiracy connected to his relationship with former union leader John Dougherty. Additionally, he was the manager of the impeachment trial against Krasner, voting to oppose the measure pushed by Republican leaders.
Solomon also has helped spearhead community discussion about the possibility of extending a SEPTA subway line into Northeast Philadelphia, where he has hosted town halls to encourage public debate and education. In his campaign for attorney general, Solomon has called to protect abortion rights, create more consumer safeguards and target predatory housing practices.
Khan is a former assistant district attorney in Philadelphia and assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. He previously ran for Philadelphia district attorney in 2017, finishing second behind Krasner. He's a University of Pennsylvania lecturer and a partner at the law firm Curtin & Heefner LLP in Bucks County, where he also formerly served as county solicitor.
After the 2020 presidential election, Khan played a key role in defending Bucks County's election against legal challenges from former President Donald Trump. He said his desire to run for attorney general was spurred by that experience. More recently, he was part of a Bucks County lawsuit targeting social media companies for fueling a youth mental health crisis.
Khan's campaign has focused on issues including housing justice, public safety and stricter enforcement of the state's environmental laws.
Stollsteimer is the district attorney in Delaware County, the first Democrat to ever hold the office in Philly's western suburbs. He's prosecuted a number of high-profile crimes since taking office in 2020, including his office's controversial handling of the police shooting of an 8-year-old girl in Sharon Hill. He also has taken an aggressive approach to seeking justice in notable cold cases, including the 1975 abduction and killing of 8-year-old Gretchen Harrington in Marple Township.
During his tenure, Stollsteimer has worked to reduce the county prison population and combat gun violence in Chester, which has seen a sharp decline in gun-related homicides since the launch of the Chester Partnership for Safe Neighborhoods.
In his attorney general campaign, Stollsteimer has emphasized public safety, abortion rights and economic and environmental justice
